Key case



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,322

w. R. BUX'I'ON KEY CASE Filed Sept. 6. 1923 2 SheQts-Sheet 1 vfl 5 a Q, I ,2

; /I%VEETOR BY {M ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,322

w. R. BUXTON KEY cA sE Filed Sept. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2 2, 1927.

6 UNITED STATES WARNER R. BUXTON. OF LONGMEADOW.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BUXTON,

INCORPORATED, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

KEY

CASE.

Application filed September 6, 1923. Serial No. 661,297.

This invention relates to improvements in key cases.

The broad object of the invention is to rovide means for facilitating the assembly of the key holders in the case.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide, for the purpose of susending the key holders, a sectional memer, the sect-ions of which, when separated, allow the key holders to be laid in place and, when drawn together, confine the key holders against removal and yet permit freedom for their swinging movements.

It is also an object of the invention to 5 make such member in sections so shaped that each may be entirely formed by a single stamping operation and to eliminate all special operations formerly necessary after the stamping operation for closing down parts of said member in order toconfine the key holders.

The invention is applicable to key cases in which the key holders merely have a swinging movement into and out of the case, 5 as well as to those in which the key holders are also swivelled.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in l the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an open key case embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof; i Fi 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the sectional member from which the key holders are suspended;

Fig.4 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 1

showing a modification in the sectional members;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrative of another modification in the sectional.

5 members;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing another modification; and

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of a further modification in the construction of the sectional member.

Referring to these drawings, the key case may be of any suitable type and, as an i llustrative example of one suitable type, there has been shown a case which includes a strip 5 of flexible material, having end portions 6 which are fold-able along the lines of fold 7 in overlapping relation over the central portion 8. The latter portion con- .stitutes the back of the case and the portions'G constitute flaps, which may be suitably held together in detachable fashion, as by male and female fasteners 9 and 10, respectively.

The key holders may al o be of any suitable type and, as illustrated, take the form of snap hooks 11. These key. holders may be swivelled as well as pivoted to the case and the invention, according to some of its features, is independent of the particular way in which the key holders are mounted. For illu trating the invention, the swivelled and pivotal mounting of the key holders has been chosen. Each key holder has a part 12, in the nature of a. head, for recep-.

tion in its supporting member and, as shown, such member is of the hollow cylindrical type having one or more transverse slots 13 to permit swinging movement of the key holders 11. The heads 12 are, of course, too large to pass through slots 13 but they are of such shape that the key holder may turn, or swivel, about axes transverse to the axis about which it swings.

The supporting member for the key holdkey case, as by rivets 16 (Fig. 1). These.

plates 14 and 15 have cooperating parts, such as 17 and 18, respectively, which when placed together form the hollow cylindrical,

member described,thi s member having its line, or plane, of separation disposed longi tudinally thereof. Preferably the portions 17 and 18 abut along the uppermost periph eral portion of the cylindrical member. and the construction illustrated is such. that "each I can be stamped out at a single operation.

.In use, the key holders are laid in place in one section, as 14, with the shanks lying in slots 13 and the heads 12 within the portion 17. The other section, as 15, is then applied to confine the heads 12 and the two sections are laid in place on back 8' and riveted thereto.

. If desired, the two plates may be stamped In many cases it will be preferred to assemble the sections with the key holders therein and provide some means. either of a temporary pr permanent nature, for holding the parts together until they are riveted to the case. For example, production on the riveting machine wouldbe slowed up considerably if the operator had to do both assembling and riveting and it is better to make the assembling job an entirely separate operation. Accordingly, the two sections 14 and 15 may be held together, after the key holders have been assembled therein, y spring clips 20, as shown in Fig. 7 which clips may be removed after the plates have been riveted to the case and used over again.

out with parts which can interfit and thus frlctlonally hold the plates together. For example, the holes, such .as 21, (Fig. 6)

- which are punched in plates 14 and 15 may have very small marginal portions, such as 22, embordering them, and such portions may be so made as that the portion 22 of one will nest in the hole 21 of the other. Va rlous other expedients may be employed for the purpose outlined as will readily occur to those skilled in the art. p

Another way of conveniently utilizing the sectlonal members is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The front plate 14 is first riveted to the back 8 by applying only the two end rivets 16, which preferably are applied in a lower location than that shown in Fig. 1. The back plate 15 is provided with notches 23 at its lower corners and may, after the key holders have been hung in place, be slipped In back of the front plate and held in position by theengagement of the right angularly disposed shoulders 24 and 25 with the r1vets'=16. The members 14 and 15 are then subsequently permanently fastened together and to'lback 8 by applying the central rivet 1ft; which preferably, is located above the rlvets #16. The key holders 11 have been omitted from Fig. 4 the better to illustrate the parts located in back of them.

It should be noted that the member, from WhlCh the key holders are suspended, need not necessarily be formed in separate sections which can be entirely separated. The lmportant thing is to provide for any sort of se aration which will permit of the accomp lshment of the intended function. Thus, as shown in Fig. 8, the two sections,

14' and 15 may be formed from one piece of metal and yet be separable to the extent of permitting the assembly or removal of the key holders in the manner described.

The invention has been disclosed herein, in an embodiment at present preferred for illustrative purposes but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

low cylindrical member, and a key holder connected therewith for swinging movements, said member being divided longitudinally into separable sections to permit convement assembly or removal of the key holders.

3. The combination in a key case, of a series of key holders, and a hollow cylindrical member within which said key holders are swivelled, said member being slotted transversely at intervals to permit swinging of said key holders and being divided lon tudinally into separable sections, where y the key holders may be conveniently assembled therein.

4. The combination in a key case, with a key holder and a art by which it is adapted to be suspended or swinging movement, of means carried by the key case from which said holder is suspended," said means including two plates superposed one upon the other and each having a portion cooperating with the other to receive said part of the key holder and confine it against removal, a plurality of devices for securing one of said plates to the key case, some but not all of said devices passing through the other plate.

5. The combination in a key case,.with a key holder anda part by which it is adapted to be suspended for swinging movement, of means carried by the key case from which said holder is suspended, saidrmeans including two plates superposed one upon the other and each having a portion cooperating w1th .the other to receive said part of the key holder and confine it against removal, a plurality of devices for securing one of said plates to the key case, some-but not all of said devices passing through the other plate, and notches provided in the other plate to receive those devices which do not pass therethrough.

6. The combination in a key case, with a key holder and a part by which it is adapted to be suspended for swinging movement,

' of means carried by the key case from which said holder is suspended, said means including front and back plates mounted one upon the other and each aving a portion cooperrating with the other to receive said part of the key holder and confine it against removal. a notch provided in each lower corner of the back plate forming substantially right angularly disposed shoulders, and devices for holding the plates to the case, some ml which devices pass through both plates and two of which pass through the front plate near its lower corners and engage said shoulders.

7. The combination in a key case, with a key holder and a part by which it is adapted to be suspended for swinging movement, of

means carried by the key case from which said holder is suspended, said means including two separate sections adapted to be secured together and each having a portion cooperating with the other to receive said part of the key holder and prevent its removal, said sections provided with interengageable portions by which they may be held together in proper relation until permanently fastened to the case.

In testimony 'whereof' I have aflixed my signature.

WARNER R. BUXTON. 

